The Democratic press. [volume] (Ravenna, O. [Ohio]) 1868-1901, 1887-01-20
Washington Letter.
WASHINGTON, d. G., Jan. Is, L

the country has to part with it so soon
and it is one of the worst faults of our
system that about the time
one Congress gels fairly down to bus
iness another steps into its place and
wastes a year or more in getting q
good start.
The most important legislation of
the week, so far, is that creating De.
partment of Agriculture and Labor,
and that against the Mormons of Utah.
There will now be Secretary of Ag-
riculture, who will, of course. be
Cabinet officer. if the Senate agrees to
this change, and it was voted for in the
House of Representatives by such a
large majority as to leave little doubt
of its popularity.
Commissioner Coleman, the incum.
bent under the new Administration,
has, more than any of his predecessors
succeeded in impressing upon the pub
lie mind the importance of this de-
partment and its capacity for useful
ness. The legislation just accomplish.
ed may be considered, therefore, in the
nature of compliment to his efficient
management, and the President in
looking about for a new member of
his Cabinet will have little difficulty
in finding the right man.
The passage of the bill elevating the
Agricultural Department to Execu-
tive Importance, was very appropri
ate celebration of the Farmers Con.
gress now in session in Washington,
at the Agriculture Department The
Farmers have been discussing the
proposed Interstate commerce bill, so
long pending in the Senate, and ma
jority of them favor Federal interfer-
ence for the protection of the people.
A lively debate was provoked relative
to the long and short haul section, and
delegates from the North and South
were opposed to each other as to the
policy which should prevail. The de-
bate took very wide range, but one
sentiment was uppermost with all, and
that was that an Interstate Commerce
bill was National necessity.
The most notable debate of the week
in Congress was that over the Anti
Polygamy bill. Delegate Caine, as
the representative of the Mormons,
was attentively listened to first, while
he made long argument in behalf Of
his people. He sketched the settle
ment of Utah by the MOrmons, de-
picted the persecution to which they
had been subjected, and eulogized
them for their industry, intelligence
and honesty. He appealed to the
House to consider well before it as
sented to.the propositions contained ir
the bill. He said religious bigotrS
was arrayed against the Mormons
political necessity, cant, hypocrisy
and all kindred Pecksniffianism Join
ed in the hue and cry. Baseless cal
umnies, slander, and unmitigatet
falsehoods were consta ntly dissemin
ated through the platform, the pulpi
and the press, the mighty engines TO
| IL
Mr.. Caine insisted that time, the cor
rector of all evils, would right tn
wrong, if wrong it were; that the fla
of the Eternal had already declares
that the last vestige of Mormonisn
shall be swept away by the peaceful
progress of events if it is not fit to SUI
vive. He closed with a plea to th
men who bad freed the negro slav
from bondage, who loved liberty an
cherished the institutions of ou
country, that they would not consig
bis constituents to inhuman slavery
Representative Bennett, of Mort
Carolina. also believed that the Mol
3 mon problem would solve itself; woul
yield to patient treatment at the hand
of the American people. The bill. b
said, did violence to the basic princl
Piles of American government.
Others were drawn into the discuss
3 ion, and Hon. Randolph Tucker, c
r Va. closed the debate. He said he di
3 not care what Mormon believed, bu
he must not put his belief into act
that inflinged the rights of any othe
man. Polygamy was a crime by ever
state in Christendom. Ever sine
, Christ interpreted the Judaic law an
gave out, Therefore shall man leav
father and mother and cleave unto hi
wife, and they twain"-'they twain
-" and not whole bundle. ."-'eve
since Christ uttered that sentiment al
Christian nations had adopted mono
gamy."
What is Congress to do" contin
ued Mr.. Tucker. The gentlema
from Utah says, Wait. if we ar
wrong, we will sink" But tn
Government wants Utah as one of tn
; States of the Union. 1t did not com
in, because it had 10000 Mormon
who would establish poly gamy as on
of the institutions of that State. /
was the duty of Congress to prepar
Utah for the Union, and the way t
do it was to extirpate that which wa
alien to the genius of our institutions.
The time for a vote had come, an,
Representative Scott, of Penn. her
asked leave to offer an amendment T.
) the bill, But Mr.. Tucker said, =" NO
[ could not permit this, I want to pas
the bill now, so that the 18th of Janu
ary, 1887, will be memorable in tn
history of the country"
THE veteran crOakers have beel